Friday, August 31, 2012

Mayor James Ireton, Jr. is pleased to announce that, working in conjunction with Salisbury Police Chief Barbara Duncan, a preliminary plan to address retention and recruitment at Salisbury Police Department has been forwarded to the Salisbury City Council for their consideration at the September 4, 2012 work session at 6:15 PM at City Hall.

“Chief Barbara Duncan has done an exhaustive study of the issues of retention and recruitment and has made these recommendations to increase compensation to our rank and file, on the street officers. This plan will cost approximately $400,000 for 60 SPD officers – and it will be money well spent for Salisbury. The success of our Safe Streets Coalition and our return to community policing also has to be supported by compensation that is competitive with other jurisdictions. We are ready to answer questions from the City Council and look forward to addressing this issue quickly.” said Mayor Ireton.

“Over the past 4 years Salisbury Police Officers have worked tirelessly with allied agencies to address the issue of violent crime in our city, and that effort has started to pay off. As I approach my 2 year mark as Chief, and as we approach the 4th year in a row without an increase in compensation, I have worked with command staff to draft a proposal for an adjusted pay scale for SPD’s rank and file officers. Over the recent months the Salisbury Police Department has lost four seasoned officers to area law enforcement agencies and one officer to another profession for better pay and a lesser workload. In large measure this activity is due to the combination of a very high workload and comparatively low salary scale. This proposal, with approval by Mayor Ireton, is being drafted for the Salisbury City Council, in an effort to retain productive and quality law enforcement officers, invest in the future of the city and reduce liability inherently associated with the revolving door style of the continuous new recruit training cycle.” said Chief Duncan.

An international coalition of churches representing more than half a
billion Christians will meet in Geneva next month to take up the plight
of an 11-year-old Christian girl who faces execution under Pakistan’s
blasphemy laws.

The World Council of Churches called the meeting to discuss
Pakistan’s brutal blasphemy laws and, in particular, the case of Rimsha
Masih. Masih, who is believed to have Down syndrome, has been in jail
for allegedly burning pages from a book containing Islamic scripture.
The case has generated international condemnation, but the
fundamentalist firebrands behind her imprisonment seem immune to
criticism, much less diplomatic efforts.

Ford Motor Co. says its Focus small car is on track to
become the best-selling car in the world this year, trumping the Toyota Corolla.

Ford sold 489,616 Focus sedans and hatchbacks worldwide in the first half of
2012. That was almost 27,000 more than the perennial best-seller, the Toyota
Corolla.

Ford made the announcement at its assembly plant in Rayong, which opened in May
to build the Focus. The Thailand plant, which is one of Ford's most advanced, has
the capacity to produce 150,000 cars per year for sale in Thailand, Vietnam,
Australia and other countries in the region.

Have you ever cared to know every time there was a U.S. drone strike?
Perhaps not, but an app that could have informed you of every drone
attack launched by the U.S. with statistics on the location, result and
fatalities has been rejected — three times.

What would be the point of such an app?

“I thought reaching into the pockets of U.S. smartphone users and
annoying them into drone-consciousness could be an interesting way to
surface the conversation a bit more,” Drone+ app developer Josh Begley told Wired.

The University of Texas at Austin says it has investigated and found
no evidence of research misconduct in a study that found adult children
from “gay” families are “more apt to report being unemployed, less
healthy, more depressed, more likely to have cheated on a spouse or
partner, smoke more pot, had trouble with the law…” than children from
traditional mom-and-dad households.

“The University of Texas at Austin has determined that no formal
investigation is warranted into the allegations of scientific misconduct
lodged against associate professor Mark Regnerus regarding his July article in the journal Social Science Research,” the school announced yesterday.

ASSATEAGUE -- A rather ominous report released this week on climate
change and the associated sea-level rise along the Atlantic coast paints
a grim picture for Assateague Island if the trend is not reversed, or
at least stabilized, in the near future.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), in conjunction with the
Rocky Mountain Climate Organization, on Wednesday released a new report
on the potential long-term effects of climate change and sea-level rise
on a handful of popular national seashores along the Atlantic Coast
including Assateague. Called “Atlantic National Seashores in Peril-The
Threats of Climate Disruption,” the report examines data collected over
the last few decades and projects the research into the future in an
effort to determine proposed impacts of temperature increase, an
increase in the frequency and intensity of storms and sea-level rise on
Assateague and similar barrier islands along the Atlantic coast visited
by millions each year.

A woman is in critical condition after she was stabbed outside her child's school Tuesday morning.

The
attack happened around 10:00 a.m. Tuesday outside the Bonham Academy on
St. Mary's Street. Teresa Barron, 38, had just dropped off her child at
the school when the child's father showed up, and the two got into an
argument. The child's father, 38-year-old Roberto Barron allegedly then
stabbed the woman several times in the upper body and neck area.

On Wednesday, nearly 20 million viewers
tuned in to the 10 p.m. hour for Paul Ryan’s speech at the Republican
National Convention. Four years ago, 37 million people -- 17 million
more viewers -- tuned in to view Sarah Palin’s RNC address in Minnesota.

According to Nielsen, only FOX News and ABC improved their
ratings from Tuesday night, when nearly 22 million viewers tuned in to
see Ann Romney speak. Meanwhile, viewership across every network was
down from 2008. According to Nielsen, FOX News was down 1.5 million
viewers, NBC 3.5 million, CNN nearly five million, ABC three million,
CBS two million, and MSNBC about two million.

A long list of top-flight celebrities are headlining a fundraiser planned in New York next month to benefit the campaign for same-sex marriage in Maryland.

Those advertised to attend include Julianna Margulies and Josh Charles,
co-stars of “The Good Wife” on CBS. Sarah Jessica Parker, best known for
her work on HBO’s “Sex & The City,” is expected to be on hand as
well. As are actors Julianne Moore (who played Sarah Palin in the HBO
movie “Game Change”), Edward Norton and Susan Sarandon.

Barbara Bush, daughter of the former president, is also scheduled to
attend, along with Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) and about two dozen
other same-sex marriage advocates from the worlds of sports, fashion,
movies and television.

A radical group that has a history of biased research provided data
utilized in a federal case in which the court yesterday blocked a new
voter ID law in Texas, ruling the state failed to show that the law
would not harm the voting rights of minorities, WND has learned.

The voter ID data collected by the group, the Brennan Center for
Justice, has been called into question by experts and has been
contradicted by other credible studies.

Apple Discount Drugs, a locally owned and operated pharmacy, has
announced the kick-off of a free vitamins program for students in
Wicomico and Worcester counties.

The program was developed to help keep kids healthy and in school.
Wicomico and Worcester school officials have partnered with the pharmacy
to make parents with students in prekindergarten through the sixth
grade aware of the free vitamins program.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Chair of the Democratic
National Committee, showed up on radio row at the Tampa Convention
Center at the Republican National Convention today and promptly insisted
that any conservative media be ushered away. Her assistants reportedly
required that National Public Radio – NPR! – issue a list of questions
before Wasserman Schultz would do a sit-down. And when conservative
media crowded around Wasserman Schultz, eager to ask the Chair of the
DNC a question or two, her handlers complained loudly to staff,
questioning why Wasserman Schultz should even be in earshot of the
conservative rabble.

On radio row. At the Republican National Convention.

Scott Hogenson, the professional volunteer for the RNC who dealt with
Wasserman Schultz’s aides, told the aides, “I can’t exactly tackle 30
or 40 reporters. This is a media gaggle.” As Hogenson spoke,
the exchange was overheard by veteran ABC News Radio reporter Steven
Portnoy, who could be seen shaking his head.

Tonight at 6 PM WBOC will do the story about handicapped chilldren. Oh wait, we did that yesterday. Nevertheless, they'll have faces and voices.

Just kidding. I think it's important that as large an audience as you can get on this topic is in the best interest of Wicomico County.

Just remember that Michelle Wright cowardly voted to keep Dr. Fredericksen and then left the Board and resigned.

At this point Dr. Fredericksen couldn't care less what you think because by the time it comes around to vote again in 4 years you'll have forgotten how disrespectful he is towards handicapped children.

While there have been many comments on that topic I just want you to think. Imagine you were tied to a wheel chair, (as one comment suggested) and there was NO WAY for you to move. I'm not saying the Fire Department would ever ignore you BUT THINK of what would be racing through your mind while there is fire all around you.

Here's what I think. I think that there would be enough young Eastern Shore kids that would disrespect Dr. Fredericksen's wishes and they would simply go ahead and rescue those kids FIRST. Why, because that's the kind of people we have here on the Eastern Shore Mr. Fredericksen. You just go ahead and put them in a stairwell. By the time the Firefighters got there I'm sure you'll find them safe and sound outside the building.

The Teachers will be counting students and saying, don't worry about the handicapped kids, the Firefighters will get to them. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!

Early signs emerging from Democrats during the Republican National
Convention indicate the White House and influential activists are in a
panic, fearing that Gov. Mitt Romney is increasingly likely to emerge
victorious Nov. 6.

The Obama campaign has sent out a fundraising email by Sen. John Kerry,
D-Mass., warning Democratic supporters that Obama is in the process of
being “Swift-Boated” by conservative PACs, while filmmaker Michael Moore has predicted in a Huffington Post interview that Romney will win.

How can you spice up a routine visit to the ATM? Easthampton Savings Bank in Massachusetts is promoting a new branch by turning its ATM into a sort of no-lose slot machine. They call it the "ATM Gone Mad," because sometimes it will dispense $50 bills in place of the normal $20 bills. Cute promo. One local blogger finds it amusing that this is going on around the same time that the nearby city of Springfield is considering a downtown casino proposal from MGM Grand. All of the fun of gambling, none of the risk of financial ruin. But what's the fun if there's no chance of destroying your family's future?

Less than a week after the Berlin Mayor and Council voted to cease
all financial aid to its fire department ,citing hostile working
conditions and hints of discrimination and harassment, town officials
filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit at the heart of the issue.

In May, the town terminated EMS supervisor Norris Phillip Donohue,
Jr. after 23 years on the job after at least two EMS employees filed
formal complaints about alleged workplace harassment and discrimination.
The allegations of harassment and discrimination in the EMS department
of the Berlin Fire Company (BFC) were cited as a primary reason for the
town’s decision last week to pull all funding for the entire fire
company. However, the BFC alleges the town’s decision to defund it was
based on control of the scheduling and operations.

Virginia supporters of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who sought the GOP presidential nomination, have in recent years begun to shift from campaigning to organizing. They have made inroads in local and state politics and hold a visible presence here in Virginia's delegation to the Republican National Convention.

Paul is allotted three delegates based on vote totals in Virginia's GOP primary in which he finished second to Mitt Romney, but one supporter estimates that roughly two dozen of the 49 delegates and 46 alternates in Tampa are Paul backers.

Maryland health officials are reporting the state's first death
from
the West Nile virus.

State health department spokeswoman Dori Henry said Thursday that the
department
is not releasing any details on the death. Maryland has had 13 cases of West Nile
virus so far this year. Nineteen cases were reported last year and 23 the year
before in Maryland.

Federal officials announced Wednesday that West Nile cases nationwide are up 40
percent since last week and may rival the record years of 2002 and 2003.

On August 6, 2011, 30 US service members killed when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter they were being transported in crashed in Wardak province, Afghanistan. It was the deadliest single loss for U.S. forces in the decade-long war in Afghanistan. 17 members of the elite Navy SEALs were killed in the crash, most of them from the same unit that dispatched Osama Bin Laden.

Yesterday, Karen and Billy Vaughn, parents of Aaron Carson Vaughn, spoke at the Defending the Defenders forum sponsored by the Tea Party Patriots outside the RNC Convention in Tampa. Karen brought a copy of the form letter they were sent following their son’s death.

It’s a form letter. It was signed by an electric pen. That’s not all. Karen Vaughn reached out to the parents of the other SEALs killed in that crash. [Their] letters were all the same. Form letters — signed by an electric pen.

The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle, and you can be bold; be frugal, and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others, and you can become a leader among men.

But in the present day men cast off gentleness, and are all for being bold; they spurn frugality, and retain only extravagance; they discard humility, and aim only at being first.

Therefore they shall surely perish.

Gentleness brings victory to him who attacks, and safety to him who defends. Those whom Heaven would save, it fences round with gentleness.”

Investigations into accounts of voter suppression during the last
Snow Hill election in May have been transferred to Somerset County
State’s Attorney Daniel W. Powell, despite the protests of the man
bringing the claims.

“We would have preferred that our State’s Attorney investigated the
matter,” said Edward S. Lee, a member of the Snow Hill Circle of Leaders
who is spearheading the request for an investigation.

Lee asserted that the “outcome of this decision could have statewide
implications” and should have been handled by someone familiar with the
area that is also known by the community.

"Solar energy means Maryland jobs," O'Malley said at the Mount event. "Overthe next 10 years, with efforts like this, we will be putting another 10,000Marylanders to work on projects like this. ... There will be a day when solarpanels will be as common as shingles on roofs."

On August 29, 2012 at approximately 1:10 p.m. Ocean City Police responded to the area of the Inlet Parking Lot in for CPR in progress.

According to witnesses, “Dove Point” (a Salisbury, MD center for persons w/ disabilities) was hosting a field trip for their patients. One of the participants identified at this time as a 44-year-old male, had just finished eating when a “Dove Point” staff member noticed the male was having trouble breathing. After noticing the victim was choking, trip chaperones attempted to assist him by performing the Heimlich maneuver but were unsuccessful.

The victim then became unconscious and trip chaperones began CPR. A bystander called 911 and then assisted with chest compressions. When officers arrived, they assessed the patient and promptly took over CPR until paramedics arrived. The victim was transported to Atlantic General Hospital and as of yesterday afternoon is listed in stable condition.

The Ocean City Police Department would like to acknowledge the quick and heroic actions of these citizens as well as the officers and emergency responders involved. The continued support of the public has made it possible for the Town of Ocean City’s emergency personnel to provide the highest level of lifesaving care to over 8.5 million visitors a year.

An arts and crafts festival, fireworks and laser light shows in Ocean
City, as well as an end-of-the-summer concert and race in Ocean Pines,
are scheduled to take place this weekend in celebration of the Labor Day
holiday.

OCEAN CITY
¦ The annual Labor Day Arts and Crafts Festival will feature
approximately 70 artists and crafters, from this area and the
mid-Atlantic region. The show will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday
through Sunday, at the Ocean City convention center on 40th Street.
Admission is free.

“The event is in its 18th year and was started to provide an alternative
to the beach and Boardwalk to visitors and locals alike,” said festival
coordinator Ami Hastings. “[There is an] unusual mix of handcrafted
artwork.”

Salisbury, MD – County Executive Rick Pollitt, the Health Department, law enforcement officials and other members of the Prescription Drug Task Force announced the installation and locations of prescription drug drop-off boxes within Wicomico County where individuals can safely and anonymously dispose of prescription and non-prescription medicines.

The Prescription Drug Disposal Program allows concerned citizens four convenient sites to dispose of unused, unwanted or expired medications. This initiative will prevent these medications from illegal distribution and use.

Executive Pollitt stated, “By turning in those unused and out-dated prescription drugs, we can take a huge step toward preventing their falling into the wrongs hands with the accompanying chaos that could bring. I applaud our health department and our law enforcement team for providing this pro-active service to further protect our community.”

Citizens can find prescription drug drop-off boxes at the following locations:

Culver Enterprises, the company that makes the boxes, is responsible for pick-up and disposal of the medications. John Culver commented, “Medications will be picked up from the drop boxes regularly and then delivered to Curtis Bay, a 24 hour disposal site in Baltimore where they are safely incinerated."

According to the Maryland Poison Control, half of the 864 calls to poison control from Wicomico County in 2011 concerned children under 6 years old. They also found that the most common medicine exposures - for children in that age bracket - were pain relievers and medicines forskin. Also on the list are heart medicines, thyroid, anti-diabetic and gastrointestinal medicines as well as antihistamines and vitamins.

A 10-year-old girl was charged Thursday with manslaughter in the
death of an infant whose mother said had ingested medication and been
suffocated.

The girl, who is not being identified, is the youngest person to be
charged with manslaughter in Maine in at least 25 years. The 3-month-old
infant, Brooklyn Foss-Greenaway, of Clinton in central Maine, had been
left overnight with an adult baby sitter in nearby Fairfield.

The sitter called police early July 8 to report that the infant was
not breathing, authorities said. Emergency workers who arrived minutes
later reported that child was unresponsive.

Not as if this election season needs any more hyperbole, but this story is interesting.

Parents of the 17 SEALs killed in action when a Chinook went down more than a year ago just received their "letters" from Obama, each and every one of them is supposedly bearing an electronic signature.

A certified handwriting specialist has not confirmed whether the signatures are that of a computer, or a human, but they look pretty close to identical. Certainly, the president of the most powerful nation on the planet is a busy guy, but if he is robosigning KIA letters for families, it is inexcusable.

Now, it's mostly Right-Wing websites hocking this story to anyone who will listen, and the practice certainly is disgraceful, but the fact remains — the procedure isn't a marked step down from the Bush's practice.

President Bush sent stock letters to every fallen servicemember's family, the only difference being he used a sharpie to sign every one by hand.

(Annapolis) Delegate Mike McDermott is the recipient of the “Restore Integrity Award” presented by the national good government and legal reform advocate POPULAR (Power Over Poverty Under Laws of America Restored). Delegate McDermott was recognized for his sponsorship of HB-1061 which proposed an amendment of Maryland’s Constitution and a corresponding shift of the state to more inclusive, balanced, and comprehensive judicial oversight according to the organizations Chairman, George Stokes, Sr.

“All of POPULAR’s award recipients have taken or otherwise pursued one or more specific acts or measures to eliminate significant inequity, waste, fraud, abuse, or other public and/or private sector corruption in America” according to Mr. Stokes. He adds, “POPULAR defines corruption as any illegal or unethical conduct contributing to the systemic malfunction of government, commerce, and/or democracy in America as contemplated by the U.S. Constitution.”

POPULAR has recognized a wide array of public and private sector heroes who help make the war on corruption real in America. This award recognizes Delegate McDermott’s determination and willingness to take on the tough challenges to address corruption within the high places of government.

Most people watched rising water on the roads Saturday from their
windows. Taryn Walterhoefer was swimming in it near Berlin at midnight.

Walterhoefer, an Ocean City Today
employee, was one of many who were caught up in what long-time
residents say was the worst thunderstorm they had ever witnessed.

In addition to the almost continuous lightning and thunder that began
about an hour after sunset and lasted well into the morning, the storm
dumped an unprecedented 13 inches of rain on the Berlin area, flooding
homes, yards, roads and highways.

WHAT: A week of information on choosing, paying for, and getting the most out of college

WHO: Teens & Parents

WHEN: October 1-5, 2012

WHERE: Main Library and Centre Branch

SALISBURY, MD – August 31, 2012 – College Week at Wicomico Public Library will be held during the week of October 1-5, 2012. Teens and parents are invited to come to the Main Library Monday through Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. where we will cover the basics of the college selection process, financial aid, admissions, and getting the most out of college. A College Fair will be held Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. near the Boscov’s Stage in the Centre at Salisbury.

Each registered participant will receive a gift bag from the Delmarva Education Foundation. You may register online at www.wicomicolibrary.org, or by calling 410-749-3612. No registration is required for the college fair.

Snow Hill, Md. (August 30, 2012) – The Department of Natural
Resources posted a description of the proposed changes Chesapeake
Forest-Hunting Tract Changes, along with tract maps, on the Department’s
website for 30 days, and advertised the solicitation of comments for a
30-day period from July 12 through August 11, 2012. A total of 34
comments were received.

As the result of this process, the Department (DNR) has decided to
open the Foster tract of the Chesapeake Forest to public hunting and
move all of the 15 proposed tracts from public hunting to the leased
hunting program. The Department will hold a joint Forest/Wildlife &
Heritage Services informational meeting for the hunting community and
similar stakeholders about this decision and to answer questions in the
near future.

Bicyclist #1: 12 year old male from Georgetown, DEBicyclist #2: 14 year old male from Georgetown, DEBicyclist #3: 15 year old male from Georgetown, DE

Resume:Georgetown, DE- The Delaware State Police are investigating a crash that occurred yesterday afternoon sending two bicyclists to the hospital.

The incident occurred at approximately 3:51 p.m. yesterday afternoon as Alfred J. Wyatt was operating a 1992 Chrysler Fifth Avenue eastbound on Zoar Road approaching the railroad tracks west of Stockley Road. Three juveniles on bicycles were traveling eastbound on Zoar Road just in front of the Chrysler. As Wyatt was attempting to pass the bicyclists on the left, the three began to cross the road in front of the car. Wyatt attempted to brake and swerve more to the left in an attempt to avoid the bikes, but struck two of the three bicycles with the front passenger’s side of the Fifth Avenue.

The 14 and 15 year old males were removed from the scene by EMS and transported to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The 12 year old was not injured in the crash and was able to avoid being struck. All three juveniles were not wearing helmets.

Wyatt was not injured in the crash but was cited for Driving While Suspended, Failure to Have Insurance in Possession, and Failure to Change Address.

The former Marine who was unlawfully detained and placed in a psychiatric institution by authorities is filing a civil lawsuit against government officials involved.

Brandon Raub, 26, was detained on August 16 in connection to Facebook posts critical of the government after authorities from the FBI, Secret Service and local Virginia police questioned him at his home in Chesterfiled, Va.

On August 20 a judge ordered Raub to spend up to 30 days in a psych ward, but on August 23 a circuit court judge dismissed the government’s case and ordered Raub's immediate release because the petition for his detainment was “so devoid of any factual allegations that it could not be reasonably expected to give rise to a case or controversy.”

I've learned to shrug off what Barack's opponents say about him. We know who he really is: a wonderful father and leader who's in this because he wants to make a difference in people's lives.

But not everyone knows him as you and I do. And because of the nonstop negative ads the other side is running against him, we'll have to work even harder to remind folks who Barack really is.

Tonight's fundraising deadline is one of the most important we'll face together. I hope you'll take the chance to show you've got Barack's back -- chip in $5 or more before midnight.

Campaigns are never easy, and we're lucky to have supporters like you by our side.

The other side is outspending us, and they're stepping up their attacks. But we'll be standing strong, thanks to the support of nearly 3 million people who are helping win this election the right way.

What we do between now and midnight is going to play a big part in making that happen, so please pitch in whatever you can before then:

As always, thank you.

Michelle

Dear Michelle,

It's good to hear from you again, not really. Believe me Michelle, your husband HAS made a difference in MOST American lives. Let's see, they're jobless, they're broke, homeless, bankrupt and desperately hungry. But your friends in corporate America are doing quite well.

Clearly the Republican Convention and those Americans who spoke have you Democrats shaking in your boots. You've gone from asking for $3.00 to $5.00 while we watch bus after bus run around our City giving away FREE Obama Phones in the hopes of buying voters. Get a free phone, phone in a donation. You people are smart, I'll give you that. However, your far from leaders.

Hey, I know. We've got some weeds around Salisbury that need pulling. Wanna get your hands dirty? Yeah, I know, your too busy flying around the world on vacations at taxpayers expense while the rest of the majority of Americans are suffering.

I hope you enjoyed your 4 years in the White House. Take lots of pictures, they last longer.

Just because all of its banking friends were doing it didn't necessarily mean Bank of America was going to start using a simple form to disclose checking fees, but fortunately for its customers, it has. Citibank and Chase both switched already to the one-page form that sets out basic fees for ATMs, overdraft charges and account closings, and now BofA is onboard as well. Finally.

Federal taxpayers could be on the hook for more than $136 million to cover the cost of the major political parties’ presidential nominating conventions. That’s the estimated total taxpayer tab of this week’s Republican Party National Convention in Florida, and next week’s Democratic Party National Convention in North Carolina.

Willie states that Morgan Stanley faces IMMINENT FAILURE & RUIN, that The older employees are selling all of their stock, and that Many workers are making contingency plans for their next positions in another firm.

He states that JP Morgan will devour the carcass, and that The Morgue may be preparing to execute the 1st ever private stock account vaporization/ rehypothecation.

AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ!!!

Begin with a preface to a meaningful event that could change the entire US landscape, a redux of what happened four years ago. Consider the next Wall Street financial firm failure. It is in progress. It is not avoidable. It will have numerous ramifications. It will open the door to account thefts, the burial of documents, the ransack of undesired leveraged positions, the concealment of wrecked derivatives, and a path toward the merger of surviving (selected core) firms. It will urge an extreme defensive posture. Back in 2008, both Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers fell. The former because they had too much gold exposure with anti-US$ hedges. The latter because they led in mortgage exposure. Both failures were greatly exploited. My favorite item was the reload given to JPMorgan on a quiet Saturday morning (convened at 6am no less) at the Bankruptcy court of Manhattan. The shadowy syndicate titan was handed $138 billion to handle the private accounts from the fallen banks. Instead, the funds represented a reload for JPMorgan to continue their gold suppression game. Of course, they have been defending American freedom with vigor, preserving the integrity of the US banking system, and assuring the way of life in the nation, while leeching $billions from the public trough. Since their grant, the unassailable JPM has seen fit to gobble private accounts at both MFGlobal and PFG-Best, with regulatory blessing as the courts sprinkled fascist holy water.

In the background across the globe, numerous currency storm centers have arisen under the noses of every major central bank and their elaborate connected paper factories. The sovereign bond foundation is full of cracks and rotten planks, upon which the entire global currency system rests. The only people who could have imagined such a grand mess in 2006 and 2007 were the Sound Money crowd, the advocates of gold-backed money, the opponents to debt foundational systems. But then again, we are the nutballs, without a clue, who maintain a myopic view of the world, and see a conspiracy under every rock. Rather, we are the insightful, the alert, the rational clear thinking bunch, the guardians against hidden confiscation through inflation, the intrepid defenders of life savings. We identify the corruption and thus are discredited. Gold will return to its rightful place as the core of monetary systems and trade systems, all in time. The system is imploding at a more rapid pace with each passing month.

"This is the first Marine deployment that directly supports countering transnational crime in this area, and it's certainly the largest footprint we've had in that area in quite some time," Marine Staff Sgt. Earnest Barnes of U.S. Southern Command told AP.

Lawrence Anthony has been a legend in South Africa and the author of three books, including the best seller: The Elephant Whisperer. He bravely rescued and rehabilitated elephants from human atrocities all over the globe, including the courageous rescue of Baghdad Zoo animals during the Gulf War in 2004.

On March 7, 2012, Lawrence Anthony died. He is remembered and missed by his wife, two sons, two grandsons and numerous grateful elephants.

Two days after his passing, the wild elephants showed up at his home led by two large matriarchs. Separate wild herds arrived in droves to say goodbye to their beloved man-friend. A total of 20 elephants had patiently walked over 12 miles to get to his house located in South Africa.

Witnessing this spectacle, humans were obviously in awe, not only because of the supreme intelligence and precise timing that these elephants sensed about Lawrence’s passing, but also because of the profound memory and emotion the beloved animals evoked in such an organized way: walking slowly for days, making their way in a solemn one-by-one queue from their habitat to his house.Lawrence’s wife, Francoise, was especially touched, knowing that the elephants had not been to his house, prior to that day, for well over a year! Yet, they knew exactly where they were going. The elephants obviously wanted to pay their deep respects, honoring their friend who had saved their lives, so much that they stayed for two days and two nights.

Then, one morning, they left – making their long journey back to their habitat.

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele capped off the Maryland delegation's Wednesday morning breakfast at the Republican National Convention with a fiery pep talk that included criticism of the Democratic Party, as well as his fellow MSNBC contributors. Rep. Andy Harris got the partisans going by blasting state and national Democrats as being obstructionist and too dependent on raising tax revenue to close their deficits.

"I disagree with you Joe on not having an all paid fd. If you can't control them this is what you get. Arguing, bickering, distractions, in-fighting etc. They come and go as they like. They show up or don't show up when it suits them. It's more of a status thing with them than it is of being a professional firefighter/emt. And I'm sure that could be said for some of the paid ones too. But a house divided will not stand. And it sure looks like the SFD is divided."

Publishers Notes: This comment comes from a man who knows absolutely NOTHING about being a Boss, a leader a mentor or someone who leads by example. Honest to goodness, this comments sounds a LOT like Jim Ireton himself.

Nevertheless, what Salisbury is desperately missing is a leader. You must have business experience. You must take risks. Do YOU think it's going to be easy when Joe Albero gets elected as Mayor. Do YOU think every employee that works for the City and is full of crap is NOT going to be recognized by me and more than likely quit before I ever take Office? Of course that's going to happen because I won't take any crap from them and I won't let a single lazy employee stay on board that doesn't carry their own weight.

Life doesn't deal you a perfect hand every time. Set an example. You people are so scared of your own shadow it isn't funny. IF a volunteer is disrespectful, suspend them. The SFD should be the greatest Fire Department on the Eastern Shore. There should be a WAITING LIST to get into that department. This is EXACTLY why I am looking VERY hard at the current leadership there because quite frankly, it sucks.

I know of several Fire Chiefs' that are excellent leaders. They also have a Volunteer Crew. Look at my friend Chris Laramore in Ocean City. One of the greatest Fire Chiefs' Ocean City has ever known. This man blends the paid staff with the volunteers without any problems whatsoever and they respect each other.

The ONLY difference most of you don't know is this. I have run businesses. I have employed and managed thousands of people over the years. When you retain a large staff, there's going to be bickering and arguing, period. Your current Mayor and former Mayor have/had NO EXPERIENCE. So what did they do, they pounded their chest screaming, I'M THE MAYOR AND YOU WILL DO WHAT I SAY, OR ELSE! Why, because they don't know any better. They became BULLIES because they have no clue, no experience and no training on how to MANAGE a large number of people.

Nevertheless, as many of you know from life experiences, just because someone is given the position as manager/mayor, most of them are not very good at it. It's a special gift to do it well. A good manager is no different from having that ONE Teacher you'll remember for the rest of your life. They're out there but they are very rare and very gifted.

So, in my honest opinion, there's a problem with the Salisbury Fire Department between the paid Firefighters and the Volunteers, I will fix that. And I might suggest they start working VERY hard on that problem right now BEFORE I get elected. I'm keeping a VERY close eye on what's going on in that Department, trust me.

In closing, I can't stand when someone uses catch phrases like the one used above, "a house divided will not stand". I also said "I Do" twice. Just because you say til death do you part doesn't mean the other person can fulfill such a promise or commitment. We can only control our own lives and destiny. IF you try to control other lives you will fail. If you can manage BOTH lives with respect, guess what, chances are you'll be together for a very long time. Some people just don't belong in management, even though they've put in the time.

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Everyone Is Ignoring A Sign Of US Economic Decline We Haven't Seen In 60 Years
Matthew Boesler | Aug. 30, 2012, 1:53 PM | 21,496 | 50
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inShare. Email Share on Tumblr digg UBS economist Drew Matus was on Bloomberg TV with Tom Keene this morning discussing the U.S. economy – and one rarely-discussed trend in particular that is somewhat alarming.

Matus told Bloomberg TV that the decline of the U.S. capital stock is a bad sign:

I would say that one of the things that people have generally ignored is that the U.S. capital stock is in decline. This is the first time post-war we've ever seen it. We don't know what the repercussions are because we have nothing in history to look back on and say, "Hey, last time it did this, this is what followed on it."

I would submit to you, though, that it's probably nothing good.

The capital stock Matus is referring to is American companies' investments in new equipment and software – one of the four main components in GDP – less the depreciation of existing equipment.

With all that is going in Washington these days some things don’t make the news the way they should. Fourteen days ago President Obama issued an Executive Order that you should know about. This order gives an unprecedented level of authority to the President and the federal government to take over all the fundamental parts of our economy - in the name of national security - in times of national emergency.

This means all of our water resources, construction services and materials (steel, concrete, etc.), our civil transportation system, food and health resources, our energy supplies including oil and natural gas – even farm equipment – can be taken over by the President and his cabinet secretaries. The Government can also draft U.S. citizens into the military and force U.S. citizens to fulfill "labor requirements" for the purposes of "national defense." There is not even any Congressional oversight, only briefings are required.

By issuing this as an Executive Order the President puts the federal government above the law, which, in a democracy, is never supposed to happen.

As President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, he has the Constitutional authority to issue executive orders. And while similar orders have been made before by presidents from Eisenhower and Reagan to Clinton and George Bush – it has never been done to this extent.

It is still unclear why this order was signed now, and what the consequences are for our nation – especially during times of peace. This type of Martial Law imposes a government takeover on U.S. citizens that is typically reserved for national emergencies, not in a time of relative peace.

I want you to know I am following this very closely. If you would like to read the order for yourself please click here.

The Maryland Public Service Commission indicated this week that it may revisit a ruling it made last month to award some of a rate increase sought by Pepco.

Maryland regulators rejected the bulk
of Pepco’s $68 million request three weeks after a storm knocked out
power to hundreds of thousands and led to widespread outrage over the
length of time the utility took to restore electricity to its customers.

Regulators granted only $18 million of the request; for most of
Pepco’s 531,000 Maryland residential customers, this translates into an
average rate hike of $1.89 per month.

That increase may decrease if the Office of People’s Counsel
has its way. In an Aug. 20 filing to the PSC, the office asked
regulators to revisit a portion of their ruling that allows Pepco to
recover costs for smart meters. It remains unclear how much the rate
hike would drop.

Have you ever been to a Muslim hospital, heard a Muslim orchestra, seen a Muslim band march in a parade, witnessed a Muslim charity, shaken hands with a Muslim Girl Scout, seen a Muslim Candy St riper , or seen a Muslim do anything that contributes positively to the American way of life ????

The answer is no, you did not. Just ask yourself WHY ???

Barack Obama, during his Cairo speech, said: "I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America's history."

AN AMERICAN CITIZEN'S RESPONSE:

Dear Mr. Obama:

Were those Muslims that were in America when the Pilgrims first landed? Funny, I thought they were Native American Indians.

Were those Muslims that celebrated the first Thanksgiving day? Sorry again, those were Pilgrims and Native American Indians.

Can you show me one Muslim signature on the United States Constitution?

Declaration of Independence?

Bill of Rights?

Didn't think so.

Did Muslims fight for this country's freedom from England? No.

Did Muslims fight during the Civil War to free the slaves in America ? No, they did not. In fact, Muslims to this day are still the largest traffickers in human slavery... Your own half-brother, a devout Muslim, still advocates slavery himself, even though Muslims of Arabic descent refer to black Muslims as "pug nosed slaves." Says a lot of what the Muslim world really thinks of your family's "rich Islamic heritage," doesn't it Mr. Obama?

Where were Muslims during the Civil Rights era of this country? Not present.

There are no pictures or media accounts of Muslims walking side by side with Martin Luther King, Jr. or helping to advance the cause of Civil Rights.

Where were Muslims during this country's Woman's Suffrage era? Again, not present.

In fact, devout Muslims demand that women are subservient to men in the Islamic culture. So much so, that often they are beaten for not wearing the 'hajib' or for talking to a man who is not a direct family member or their husband.

Yep, the Muslims are all for women's rights, aren't they?

Where were Muslims during World War II? They were aligned with Adolf Hitler. The Muslim grand mufti himself met with Adolf Hitler, reviewed the troops and accepted support from the Nazi's in killing Jews.

Finally, Mr. Obama, where were Muslims on Sept. 11th, 2001? If they weren't flying planes into the World Trade Center , the Pentagon or a field in Pennsylvania killing nearly 3,000 people on our own soil, they were rejoicing in the Middle East. No one can dispute the pictures shown from all parts of the Muslim world celebrating on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and other cable news networks that day. Strangely, the very "moderate" Muslims who's asses you bent over backwards to kiss in Cairo, Egypt on June 4th were stone cold silent post 9-11. To many Americans, their silence has meant approval for the acts of that day.

And THAT, Mr. Obama, is the "rich heritage" Muslims have here in America ..

Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to mention the Barbary Pirates. They were Muslim.

And now we can add November 5, 2009 - the slaughter of American soldiers at Fort Hood by a Muslim major who is a doctor and a psychiatrist who was supposed to be counseling soldiers returning from battle in Iraq and Afghanistan ..

In Maryland if you plan to be a drunken public servant be sure to be a Democrat

Go ahead and take a deep breath. No, a really deep breath. I’ll wait… there, did you smell it? No, not that – that’s Annapolis, where the stink of incompetence hangs most heavily from January to April (and over every special session in between).

This stench - this vile bouquet – is the nauseating odor of hypocrisy, practiced by both political parties but perfected – especially in this state – by the Democrats. And it is that double standard that has been parading about in full plumage since Republican Delegate Don Dwyer was implicated in a boating accidentthat – through the delegate’s own admission – involved a copious amount of ingested alcohol.

“He failed seven out of eight measures in a ‘walk-and-turn’ assessment,” a police incident report read, including being unable to maintain balance and walk in a straight line. The same report noted that he also failed four out of four measures in a ‘‘one-leg stand” assessment, all of which point to someone who is obviously inebriated.

A leading postal workers' union said the new Republican Party platform is anti-letter carrier. The National Association of Letter Carriers said Republicans would destroy their jobs and the Postal Service. The union hopes the platform will galvanize members to vote. In the platform, the GOP says the Postal Service must downsize in the Internet era. It says mail delivery from the days of the "Pony Express" cannot go on, and it calls on Congress to explore ways to privatize parts of the mail-processing system.

Hi Joe, I am a daily reader of sbynews and thought I could tell you about a situation in my childs school that needs to be addressed. Not too long ago you advised us of the change to elementary recess time. Well apparently at Pittsville Elementary & Middle School not only has the recess time been reduced but so has the GYM time as well! When we got our child's schedule for the year, they only have gym 1x per cycle now (which comes out to be about every 7-8 days). Just last year it was triple that!! Instead their specials include French, computer & math enrichment (which is different from their regular math class), So more class time . . . . less recess and gym 1x per 7-8 days (unless we get a fog delay which would make it every 14 days).

I know in the past when Joe Holloway got involved with the Board of Education in reference to the types of books that were found in the school libraries, action was taken. The school librarians couldn't get some of those books off the shelf fast enough. I am going to try and contact him as well.

A friend of mine in the Fruitland district does NOT have this same problem!! Elementary students their have Gym every other day!!!!!!!!!!

Royal Dutch Shell PLC has been given a permit to begin preparation
work at exploratory drilling sites in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska's
northwest coast while it awaits certification for its oil spill response
barge, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Thursday.

"We are allowing certain limited preparatory activities that we know
can be done in a safe manner," he said in a teleconference with
reporters.

The Ocean City Police Department is attempting to identify two subjects who have been involved in multiple thefts from vending machines.

On 8/28/12 the two subjects above were at the Hilton Hotel located at 3201 Baltimore Ave. Surveillance cameras captured the male entering the vending machine room, while the female accomplice acted as a look out. During the investigation, police obtained surveillance images of two suspects. The male suspect is also believed to be the same unidentified perpetrator that was captured on video surveillance, who broke into several vending machines on previous occasions, however was not apprehended.

Ocean City Police are asking anyone with information about the identity of these suspects or information about these crimes, to contact the Ocean City Police Departments Criminal Investigation Divisions Detective Carl Perry at 410-520-5439 or email at: crperry@oceancitymd.gov. (You do not have to give your name)

Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the newly nominated GOP candidate for Vice President of the United States, is the right man in the right place, at the right time.

He understands that his duty as Vice President will be the calling of his generation to preserve for his children and their children the America that was given to his generation.

He acknowledges that the current administration came into office during an economic crisis. He also realizes that today 23 million men and women are unemployed or underemployed. He sees one in six Americans living in poverty. He understands that millions of young college graduates cannot find work and have been forced to move back in with their parents.

He sees that without a change in leadership in the White House the next four years will be just more of the same.

As a Congressman, he has been a front row witness to the wasteful Stimulus spending, the catastrophic government takeover of health care, and the robbing of seven hundred and sixteen billion dollars from Medicare to fill the financial void left in the healthcare law despite all the law’s hidden taxes.

Ryan vowed that “Medicare is a promise, and we will honor it. A Romney-Ryan administration will protect and strengthen Medicare, for my Mom’s generation, for my generation, and for my kids and yours.”

Dover- The Delaware State Police will be out in full force to enforce traffic laws and aid holiday travelers this Labor Day Weekend. Troopers intend to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on our highways this weekend with Troopers focusing on distracted driving, motorists not wearing seat belts, unrestrained children in vehicles, and any aggressive driving behaviors such as speeding, following too close, and especially, driving under the influence.

By following these easy steps, a driver can enjoy a safe holiday weekend without jeopardizing their life or the lives of others who may be on the road:

Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin

Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and give that person your keysIf you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely

If you see a drunk or aggressive driver on the road, immediately contact 911 as soon as safely possible.

If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

The Delaware State Police would like to wish everyone a happy but SAFE Labor Day Weekend!

Narrative: On 28 August 2012 at 11:10 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office located and arrested Melissa Anne Barone who was being sought on an open arrest warrant. The Warrant was issued after Barone failed to appear at the Detention Center to begin serving an imposed sentence scheduled to begin back on 17 April 2012.

The deputy transported Barone to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Barone in the Detention Center without bond.

Narrative: On 28 August 2012 at 10:32 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded for a report of a dog inside an enclosed vehicle in the parking lot of Wor-Wic Community College. Upon arrival, the deputy observed that the dog was inside a locked vehicle without access to any fresh air or water. Witnesses reported that the dog had been in this state for at least twenty minutes andthe dog appeared in distress to the deputy. While the deputy was trying to assist the dog, its owner, Christopher Littleton returned.

The deputy placed Littleton under arrest for leaving the dog enclosed in the locked vehicle on a hot day where the air temperature had already reached 86 degrees. The deputy transported Littleton to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Littleton on Personal Recognizance.

Narrative: On 27 August 2012 at 8:45 PM, a deputy responded for a reported trespassing on the property of a commercial business during hours the business was closed. The responding deputy detained Rashanna Taylor and Adrian Marshall after they were identified as the alleged trespassers. The property was clearly posted with no trespassing signs.

The deputy charged both Taylor and Marshall on a Criminal Citation with trespassing and released both after receipt of their citations.

Narrative: On 27 August 2012 at 7:03 PM, deputies from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to the property of the Country Inn in Delmar for a reported intoxicated and disorderly subject.

Upon arrival, the deputies met with a female employee who advised that a subject later identified as Willie J. Morton of Salisbury, was standing in the parking lot and appeared highly intoxicated. The employee stated she observed Morton open the fly on his pants, pull out his genitalia and urinate in plain view in the middle of the parking lot. Morton was also allegedly waving his arms and yelling obscenitieswhile urinating. When told to leave, Morton threw an empty beer can to the ground and walked to a nearby convenience store where he reportedly continued to harass patrons there. When confronted by an employee of the store, Morton allegedly pulled out a pocket knife which caused concern for the employees of the store.

Morton walked across U.S. 13 in his inebriated state which caused several vehicles to stop in the roadway to avoid running Morton over. The responding deputies found Morton on the east side of U.S. 13 incoherent and visibly intoxicated.

Morton was placed under arrest and transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Morton in the Detention Center without bond.

Almost all Wicomico students were back in the classroom as of Tuesday, Aug. 28, and Superintendent of Schools Dr. John E. Fredericksen and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Margo Handy reported a mostly smooth opening this week as they visited schools around the county.

In addition to thousands of students and staff members, this week Wicomico also welcomed new Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lillian M. Lowery, who on Wednesday stopped by Wicomico County Public Schools to meet with Dr. Fredericksen.

Staff members, students and families were up to the challenge of a new school year. These challenges included welcoming students to a new grade level, transporting 12,000+ students to and from school on the bus, and getting everyone used to the procedures for walkers and car riders. Almost everything went smoothly, and in schools around the county it felt almost as if students had never been gone for the summer, said Dr. Handy, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Student Services.

“There was a very positive energy from the students, staff and parents,” Dr. Handy said. “It seemed like they had never left, they settled in so quickly.”

Just like there’s always room for dessert in an otherwise full
stomach, there’s always room for free money in an otherwise finished
budget.

But, interestingly enough, this particular fiscal digestif is
intended to help one combat the effects of one’s desserts. A recent set
of budget amendments before the Ocean City Council revealed that the
town has been given a grant for the current fiscal year through the
Maryland Department of Natural Resources for the construction of an
outdoor exercise facility at Northside Park.

City Parks and Recreation Department head Tom Shuster said he is
excited to get the work done as soon as possible on a project that will
help keep Ocean City residents and visitors outside and active in the
coming off-season.

Even though it might have been a symbolic gesture, the delegates behind Ron Paul were intending to at least get Rep. Paul nominated at the convention. It would give a great boost to the grand liberty movement Dr. Paul has built for the last 20 years and the rebellion against establishment control of the GOP. They only needed delegate majorities from 5 states to nominate the good doctor and to keep Romney from going uncontested before the convention. But alas, the illegal maneuvers of the RNC have robbed the movement of their last show before the cameras, and contrary to assurances by an "insider" within the RNC, Ron Paul will get no speaking slot.

James Hohmann of Politico.com has a summary of the GOP movement to stop Paul. "The Republican establishment has quelled the Ron Paul Revolution, at least for 2012. Using... procedural hardball, Mitt Romney's campaign and his allies who control the Republican National Committee [actually, Romney controls no one at the RNC. It is run by a cadre of hardcore globlists. They are only allied with Romney because he got to the nomination despite their attempts to derail him. Their control over his advisors is total and complete] have ensured that the Texas congressman will neither speak nor be formally nominated at next week's convention.

Mitt Romney needed to give the speech of his life. And he did.

That isn’t to say that Romney suddenly morphed into Ronald Reagan. He
wasn’t electrifying. But he brought what is best about Mitt Romney to
the surface: seriousness, leadership ability, and most of all, a true
understanding of how business works, and how jobs are created.

The speech was optimistic throughout – but Romney’s assault on Barack
Obama’s record was devastating. The key line of the night came midway
through the speech when he dropped a rhetorical nuclear bomb on Obama’s
failed hope-and-change aspirations: “President Obama promised to begin
to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet. MY promise...is to
help you and your family.”

Clint Eastwood. Hollywood Legend. Just Told Barrack Hussein Obama to
Make His Day, along with thousands of Conservatives, Libertarians and
Republicans in Tampa at the Republican National Convention.

In a moment that will be remembered for conventions to come, the
gunslinger came out shooting. A steady aim at the Administration and
the policies of the last four years. The Eastwood speech was steady and
grit filled.

The convention fell to a fever-pitch as the mega-tron screen went black
and a massive silhouette of the iconic cowboy appeared behind a western
canyon.

If you haven't heard yet, the United States of America just hit $16 trillion in debt yesterday [12]. On a gross, nominal basis, this makes the US, by far, the greatest debtor in the history of the world.

It took the United States government over 200 years to accumulate its first trillion dollars of debt. It took only 286 days to accumulate the most recent trillion dollars of debt. 200 years vs. 286 days. This portends two key points:

Anyone who thinks that inflation doesn't exist is a complete idiot; To say that the trend is unsustainable is a massive understatement. At an average interest rate of 2.130%, Uncle Sam will shuffle $340 billion out the door just in interest payments this year... and it's a number that's only going up. To put it in context, China owns so much US debt that the INTEREST INCOME they receive from the Treasury Department is nearly enough to fund their entire military budget.

Newsflash: Obama can't take a joke. But we already knew that.

For four long years we've waited, hoped
and prayed that some young comic would break free of the politically
correct demands of The State and mock Obama the way all presidents and
all people in power should be mocked. But for four long years (with a
few exceptions) all we've seen instead are cowardly toadies of The
State: Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, David Letterman, Chris Rock, the cast of
"Saturday Night Live"…

Since Obama won the presidency, comedy
has pretty much gone straight to hell as our Entertainment Overlords
morphed into pathetic lapdogs to The State; begging for scraps of
attention and affection from Obama, and in the process becoming stale,
lazy, dull, predictable, painfully unfunny, and like a needy poodle --
more than a little annoying.

Who would've ever thought that one of
the men who would display enough backbone and "edge" to finally take it
to Obama with wicked mockery on about 30 million live television screens
would be 82 year-old Clint Eastwood?